About the artist:

Dennis Danko has been the Affiliate Director of the East Central Pennsylvania Scholastic Art Awards for the past 17 years. It is the most prestigious remunerative art competition for secondary Art students in Northampton, Lehigh, Berks and Carbon counties. Dennis, a retired Art Department chairman, Dieruff High School, Art educator, professor and photographer, revived this event after a 10 year hiatus as part of the National Scholastic Art and Writing Awards. This is the nation’s oldest student recognition program for Art and Writing, offering millions of scholarship funding. The East Central PA Scholastic Awards is funded by local businesses, art advocates and especially Linny Fowler. Her annual support was essential to the continuation of the program all this time. As Scholastic Director Dennis was bestowed an Arts Ovation Award from the Allentown Art Commission and a congressional citation from Charlie Dent in 2002. He also has accumulated many awards and distinctions as a fine art photographer. First Place Photography, “Art of the State: Pennsylvania 95 and‘97”, State Museum, 1997, Harrisburg, PA Dennis had two solo exhibitions at the Allentown Art Museum and one at Franklin and Marshall College and other solo and group shows in various galleries. His images are in many prestigious collections including Lehigh and Kutztown Universities.